The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-03-10
TARfrF REFORM,
TCONTINUED.l

FRIEND HARRIs:-I / will try and
give some more facts and figures of our
national population, earnings, wealth
&c, which, to be more fully under
stood, should be read in connection
with my last. In 1850 we had, as per |
census estimate, in round numbers, q |
population of SO, 0,l55, 7S3 And by the |
same estimate, the value of the annual !
products OF all the capital and labor of
the United States was $500 ,00O, 900. |
Our population today is estimated to
be nearly 6O.OoO,O 900. and the total
annual product of all the capital and
labor of all the people, is supposed to
be between nine and ten thousand
millions of dollars. If we divide the
amount of the value of products by
the number of people, We see that
there would be an average OF about
$l5S year to each person, making
about As cents per day for each, to feed.
clothe and warm themselves, and out
of which they must pay their proper
ton of the " Protective Tariff rob-
berry. And when we consider that out
of this vast annual collection, large
portion goes to the favored GLASS;"
6or this protective tariff system is
neither more nor less than class legis-
latiUn) we see that it must in fact re-
duce the daily average to the common
people ss much below the 43 cents per
day as the favored classes amounts
are increased. How does this look 10
the laborer ? And yet the facts aud
| figures are substantially correct, aud
| figures cannot lie. Now, dear reader,
are you anxious to continue your con-
tributions (from your hard earned lit
tie income, that you, your wives and
children need for comforts) to the mil
lionaire monopoiist? If you are. aud
and the laborer poorer, then stand by
and support the protective tariff sys.
tenn. Well. perhaps some protective
tariff apologist who wants to staud by
the old fosilized idea of the dark ages
of European A" Protective Tariff will
say: why, look at the rapid increase of
the wealth of our nation since the
tariff of 1861. I will to him, right
here, say, be cannot from the figures
show that the said tariff is entitled to
any credit for our wealth OH the ether
hand, will undertake to show that
there was a greater per centage of in
crease of wealth before said tariff was
in existence. 1 will also undertake TO
show that for whatever true inc rease
there has been in our wealth, such in
crease came from other aud natural
causes. Had said tariff anything to
do with our increase of population ?
No. That is due to natural causes,
and immigration unparalleled in the
worlds history, attracted by the fer
tility and cheapness of the land. Had
it any thing to do with the facilities
for cheap and ready inter er-communica-
ton? No, it made that communion
ton more costly, to the extent that it
made the great channels of inter com
munication cost 43 per cent. more than
| OhCy WOuIu wlLuOuO tuc I1du
it anything to do with the soil, climate
abundance of all minerals and timber?
Had it anything to do with our facili.
ties for education, anything to do in
building up our free institutions any.
thing to do with the capacity Of our
people for turning these natural ad
vantages to the best account? No
these are blessings for which said tar
iff is entitled to no credit. Said tariff
has been an injury, and has been in.
t1uential in resisting the rise in the
value of land, in this /; it has cost more
for all tools aud machinery, and has
restricted the markets for the product
of our land, by interfering with free
exchanges. For example: The rail.
road system of the United States as it
stands at a nominal cost of about So,
O0O, 900, 600 may be said to have fairly
cost but about Sc, ,000, ,O0O,O 900 So We
see that over one-fifth of the cost OF
building these channels represents the
result of tariff taxation, for special in
terests; and our travel and Transports
ton of commodities must support that
one-fifth of cost so added by tariff, in
the constr uction and equipping rail-
roads, just the same as we must p
port what would have been the true
cost had the tariff not been added.
And these carrying corporations haye
in fact paid this 43 per cent. of lax, or
tariff, on what would have been the
cost paoper if no such tariff existed
hence you see. they mast charge you
a higher rate for carrying your pro-
auctions, to compensate for said 43 per
cent. tariff cost; and rere you see the
great extra cost comes right around
home, to be borne by the shipper pro-
ducer. and lastly from the earnings of
the labOrer. 1t must of necessity be
SO, for, as a rule, every expense must
come to the point where the dollar is
earned.
1 will continue these considerations
| 81 ID. N